Archive for the 'Malcolm Smith' Tag Under 'UCLA' Category

Tailback Johnathan Franklin was UCLA's most successful and most enigmatic offensive player this season, a gifted yet confounding talent.

The sophomore became UCLA's first 1,000 yard rusher since 2006 and the first Bruin to pick up at least 100 yards against USC in more than a decade. Franklin finished the season with 1,127 yards and firmly established as one of the top tailbacks backs in the nation's best conference at the position.

There was a lot more on the line than bragging rights Saturday. Here are five observations from USC's 28-14 victory against UCLA at the Rose Bowl:

1. Bruins stuck on free parking

UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel's bold proclamation before the 2008 season that the football monopoly in Los Angeles is over is the joke that never dies. Even from jail USC owns the city, from Boardwalk to Park Place to the railroads.

Consider: The Trojans were hit with major sanctions, replaced their athletic director, their most successful head coach in three decades and nearly all of their coaching staff, and had their worst record since 2001; they couldn't have been more vulnerable.

UCLA offensive coordinator Norm Chow late Saturday night stood in the center of the Bruins' Rose Bowl locker-room and at the end of a season full of missed opportunities, a season that seemed to be summed up in another momentum changing series late in the second quarter of USC's 28-14 victory at the Rose Bowl.

With the score tied 7-7, Bruin tailback Johnathan Franklin (photo) rushed for six yards to give UCLA first down on the USC 30. On the next play right tackle Mike Harris was flagged for holding. Then tight end Cory Harkey was dinged for a false start and the Bruins were looking at first and 25 from the 39. Tailback Derrick Coleman picked up six and then was replaced by Franklin.

Franklin picked up a yard before losing the ball. USC linebacker Malcolm Smith scooped up the loose ball and sprinted 68 yards for a touchdown and a 14-7 Trojan lead.

"We screwed ourselves," Chow said. "We're going at end of the half and moving the ball and trying to get a score. At least get a field goal out of it. And what we had a penalty, two penalties and a fumble, a hold and a jump and then we fumble. Just didn't get many breaks. I thought the kids played hard.

"First half I thought we played OK. Second half just couldn't make anything happen."

It was an uneven first half that was headed toward an even score. And then USC linebacker Malcolm Smith scooped up a Johnathan Franklin fumble late in the second quarter and returned it 68 yards for a touchdown as the Trojans lead 14-7 at the half.

USC scored first, on its second possession, when tailback Dillon Baxter hit Rhett Ellison for a 5-yard touchdown. Baxter was lined up in the Wildcat formation, capping off a 67-yard led by three Matt Barkley completions.

Two plays later, Franklin took a handoff 59 yards for a touchdown to tie the game. He finished the half with 12 carries for 104 yards. Quarterback Richard Brehaut went 3 of 11 for 57 yards.

Barkley went 7 of 13 for 100 yards. USC tailback Allen Bradford carried the ball 15 times for 70 yards.